Question:

JGD Ektaji, I have seen many of your videos. Needless to say I loved them all . Sometimes I feel that I should first be very regular with my sadhana/practice. Because the knowledge that you  explain is so very good that I feel as if I first need to clear to be able to go to next class.

I have a question sometimes I have noticed in spite of being aware of the games of the mind, I am not able to do much to change the way I think.  What should I do to train my mind?

Answer:

Consistent effort is the only way out, dear. You are courageous to recognize that the mind is playing games. The few aspects that you have discovered yourself are:

1) You have recognized that you are not the mind.

2) You have figured out that the mind plays games with you. It means you have separated yourself from the mind.

3) Now all you need to do is maintain this separation from the mind and not allow it to fool you. Start making notes on how it fools you. For e.g. when you get angry, you recognize that you should let go and not bother but then the mind suddenly comes up and gives all kinds of logic justifying how that person is wrong and how you are justified in getting angry.

Just having the courage to recognize the negativity and letting it go, should be the first step of training for your mind.

Is letting go once, sufficient? 

No, it has to be a repetitive exercise. For e.g. You have made a strong habit of getting angry. You have practiced so hard to keep getting angry  It has gotten ingrained in your personality.

Now you have to unlearn and undo what has been learnt. This undoing will require some effort, won’t it? Have the commitment to train the mind, consistently, ceaselessly with undeviating zest.

Keep walking, keep walking, I am sure you will get there!